What to do with a bee or wasp sting - first aid and advice for all cases

Neighborhood with most insects (unless, of course, they are in the house) does not cause us much trouble. But their individual representatives in some cases behave quite aggressively. For some, a bee or wasp sting is just a slight discomfort, while for others they are extremely painful, especially if it is not a single contact, but a massive attack of several individuals (swarm, family).

We will figure out what to do in such a situation, what exactly to do with a bee or wasp sting in order to minimize the negative consequences as soon as possible.

It is sometimes difficult for an inexperienced person to distinguish between some completely different insects that have similarities in size and color. And given that their attack often happens suddenly, then there is practically no time to see who exactly bit (it is more correct to say stung) - a bee, wasp, hornet or bumblebee. Moreover, they attack with lightning speed, and a person’s attention automatically switches to the affected area.

What do these insects have in common? They stick a sting into their prey, through which toxins enter the body. In other words, poison. Therefore, the algorithm of actions in the event that a wasp, a bee, or someone else from the listed "winged" has bitten is almost identical. Therefore, the author considers it inappropriate to paint everything point by point in relation to each type of insect. Differences can only be in the details, and they will be discussed.

First aid for a bee, wasp or hornet sting

Inspection of the affected area

For example, a bee stings only once, and leaves its "spear" (along with part of the insides) in the wound. A wasp, a hornet, a bumblebee have a reusable sting. So you need to determine whether it is in the wound or not.

Sting removal

The bee has a number of notches on it, so trying to pull it out by squeezing it with your fingers (nails) is an unpromising business.

What should be done:

Wound disinfection

It is best to treat with a concentrated manganese solution. In the absence of such, warm water, of course, clean, is also suitable. After that, it is desirable to cover the affected area of ​​the skin. Cotton swab (table napkin or something similar), but always dipped in salted water. But this is only the necessary minimum.

If there is aspirin in the house (at the dacha, in the car first aid kit), it must be carefully crushed (1 tablet) and, based on the resulting powder, prepare a “slurry” by adding a couple of drops of warm water. It is heated, since solid fractions dissolve poorly in a cold liquid. It remains only to apply the mixture to the affected area and cover with a napkin.

Elimination of toxins

Each of us has its own characteristics. It is a mistake to believe that the measures taken are enough and now everything will be fine. Of course, you can test yourself or someone else for endurance, “strength”, but it’s better not to risk it, especially if a child is stung. Intoxication is a tricky thing.

It is necessary, if not to completely remove the poison from the body, then at least to neutralize its effect. With multiple bites - a must. To do this, drink more liquid over the next 3 hours . It contributes to the intensive removal of toxins, and with them, toxic substances. The best is hot tea. Sweetened water also works well.

As a rule, these measures with a one-time sting of a bee or wasp are quite enough so that the inflammatory process does not develop.

Additional measures

If several insects have bitten at once, or the edema gradually spreads, increases in size, a number of more measures should be taken:

What to do if a wasp, a bee stings a child?

Everything is the same, but there are several nuances that are related to the fact that the child's body is not yet sufficiently prepared for extreme situations.

First , the baby should be calmed immediately. Then - lay on something soft (if there is no bed nearby).

Secondly , be sure to force one of these drugs to drink. The nuance is that if the child had previously had an allergic reaction (regardless of the reason that caused it), then an antihistamine is first given, and only then can one proceed to remove the sting.

Third , watch him closely. At the first signs of difficulty breathing, itching, rash, swelling, fever, immediately take him to the nearest medical facility or call an ambulance. Before her arrival, the baby should be given water as often as possible, and after 35-40 minutes, give the anti-allergic drug again.

Do I need to contact a honey/institution after a wasp or bee sting?

In some cases, this is simply necessary.

Firstly , if the insect stung in the face (lip, tongue), in the neck area. This is exactly what often happens, since it is they who are not protected by clothing. Negative consequences - swelling of the mucosa, the worst option - suffocation. This is due to the proximity of the wound from the respiratory tract.

Secondly , with a massive attack of bees or wasps. A few bites can cause intoxication that the body cannot cope with, and a home first aid kit will not help here. Yes, and a non-professional is unlikely to adequately assess the situation and the degree of damage, so it's better not to risk it.

What to do if the tumor grows?

Apply a tourniquet (to localize toxins and prevent their spread throughout the body) and immediately - to the medical facility. How to properly drag limbs, you can read here .

What to do with a bite if the house (dacha) does not have the necessary drugs?

There are many folk methods that are implemented using improvised means:

Can I take alcohol for pain relief?

Absolutely not. It in itself is a poison for the body, and will only aggravate the situation. Yes, and its effect is only short-term, but in fact, just an imitation of a medicine.

Any bite can have consequences. Therefore, the general advice is to carefully monitor the affected area for at least the next 2-3 hours. And only if there are no signs of swelling, redness, rash and pain, we can assume that everything ended well. And special attention to children!